CHICAGO - The Los Angeles Kings and Chicago Blackhawks are proving that to stay on top in the NHL, you need a Norris Trophy-caliber defenseman, a superstar two-way center, a difference-making goaltender and a general manager who knows the secret formula for fitting all of those players comfortably under the salary cap.

The Blackhawks have won two Stanley Cups in the past four years and have 46 playoff victories in that span. The Kings won the Cup 23 months ago and have 33 postseason wins since the start of the 2012 playoffs.

Those numbers fly against the notion that teams can't remain dominant in the salary cap era.

"Teams are doing a good job of identifying core players," said Blackhawks forward Patrick Sharp. "It seems like the organizations with a strong core stick around. Boston has done really well and Los Angeles is always in the hunt. San Jose has a really strong team."

Effective general managers have never been more valuable than they are in today's era.

When the salary cap was introduced, general managers predicted that there would be a crazy-good collection of players in the free agent pool every summer because teams would make difficult decisions and let some players go.

That hasn't happened. Teams have primarily kept their top players

When the salary cap was introduced, it was said that it would be easier to identify the GMs doing the best job.

Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman had to tear up his championship team in 2010 because of a salary cap crisis. He turned over half of his roster and then won another Cup 36 months later. That's a warp speed transformation in pro sports.

"A lot of tough decisions after 2010," said Sharp, one of the players Bowman kept. "It took two years of going out in the first round to identify needs and develops players in the minors. The fact that our organization could do it so quickly is a credit to them."

Having the right group helps.

"A lot of guys (in Chicago), without mentioning names, love winning," Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said. "They like making each other better. They push each other in a real good way."

Kings general manager Dean Lombardi's game plan was to build a team that seems designed primarily for the playoffs. The Kings are big, strong, ornery and hard to play against. They are Bruce Banner in the regular season and Hulk in the postseason.

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Game 7: The Los Angeles Kings defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 5-4 in overtime to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals against the New York Rangers. The Kings last won the Stanley Cup in 2012.
Jerry Lai, USA TODAY Sports

Los Angeles Kings right wing Marian Gaborik (right) celebrates with defenseman Alec Martinez (27) after scoring a goal against the Chicago Blackhawks during the third period and tying the game to force overtime.
Jerry Lai, USA TODAY Sports

Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty celebrates in front of the Chicago Blackhawks bench after scoring a goal during the third period, giving his team a 4-2 lead.
Richard Mackson Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

Los Angeles Kings center Jeff Carter tosses his stick over the glass to a group of fans after being named first star for the second consecutive game. The Kings lead the series 2-1.
Richard Mackson, USA TODAY Sports

Game 2: Chicago Blackhawks center Jonathan Toews (19) and Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar (11) face off at the start of Game 2. The Kings won 6-2 to even the series 1-1.
Dennis Wierzbicki, USA TODAY Sports

But Lombardi has tinkered with his monstrous group every season, adding Marian Gaborik, a near-perfect fit for a team that needed more offense, in March.

Staying on top seems to demand that teams keep their stars, change their role players every couple of years, tweak their roster here and there and draft well enough to keep the supply lines strong.

"You have to be able to adjust to the game, adjust to the rules, adjust to the style," Kings coach Darryl Sutter said. "I think that's a big reason why we're both in the conference finals again. Whether we can adjust enough to beat the Stanley Cup champions, I don't know."

Even if the Kings don't, you have to like their chances of being back in this same spot next season. The Kings and Blackhawks might not be beating the system, but they understand how to deal with it.